Floodwaters drop in Houston as death toll increases to 22

Crisis far from over as south-western Louisiana is hit

Storm Harvey’s floodwaters have started dropping across much of the Houston area and the sun peeked through thinning clouds in the first glimmer of hope in days for the besieged US city.

The crisis is far from over, however, and the storm has begun to give up more of its dead.

The number of confirmed deaths rose to at least 22 after authorities found the submerged van in which six members of a Houston family, including four children, were believed to have died when their vehicle was swept off a bridge.

The bodies of at least two adults were spotted inside in the murky water, authorities said.

Authorities expect the death toll to rise as the waters recede and they are able to take full stock of the destruction wrought by the catastrophic storm.

Some neighbourhoods were still in danger of flooding. Meteorologist Jeff Lindner said a barricade along Cypress Creek in the northern part of the county could fail and swamp an area where some residents ignored a mandatory evacuation order.

The water in two reservoirs that protect central Houston from flooding was expected to peak yesterday at levels slightly below those that were forecast, officials said.

Meanwhile, the Texas community of Port Arthur found itself increasingly isolated as Harvey’s rains flooded most major roads out of the city and swamped a shelter for victims fleeing the storm that ravaged the Houston area.

The crisis deepened in the coastal city yesterday after Harvey rolled ashore overnight for the second time in six days, this time hitting southwestern Louisiana, about 45 miles from Port Arthur.

Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy Marcus McLellan said he was not sure where the 100 or so evacuees at the civic centre in Port Arthur would be sent.

“People started coming to the shelter on Monday,” Mr McLellan said.

“And now it’s just all the rainfall that’s coming in, and there’s a canal by there also that’s overflowing.”

Picture: Getty. People queue to buy groceries in the Chanelview area of Houston as flood waters begin to recede.